Article

Some special education classes lag on proficiency

Wednesday, August 23, 2006 • BY JIM LOCKWOOD AND JOHN WIHBEY • Star-Ledger Staff

In Warren and Sussex counties, 15 schools did not make adequate progress under the No Child Left Behind Act, earning them a new designation that urges improvement in their classrooms this year.

But 13 schools in the region given an "early warning" or "in need of improvement" label last year were noted for making improvements, according to a state Department of Education report is sued yesterday.

Phillipsburg Middle School be came the area's first school to hit the final, sixth-year tier of sanc tions, which typically mandates wholesale restructuring.

Yet the district does not receive federal funding, so it will fall to state officials to advise Phillipsburg school officials on how to proceed, a state education official said.

"They do not face sanctions," state Department of Education spokesman Jon Zlock said. "That's not to say we don't think they should improve or think that they can't."

He said Phillipsburg's new label gives state officials "reason to pause" and they will review the situation as more data becomes available.

Several calls to Phillipsburg Superintendent H. Gordon Pethick were not returned yesterday. A county education official declined to comment.

Hopatcong Middle School, Warren Hills Regional Middle School and Phillipsburg High School all were placed on the fourth-year tier of the watch list, meaning that "corrective action" is recommended.

Warren Hills Superintendent Pete Merluzzi said his special education students are not meeting standards but the district is adding a new administrative supervisor and changing the curriculum to help them.

"Hopefully, that's going to be enough," he said. "We've been making some attempts to improve (special education) over the past several years, and it just doesn't seen to happen."

The federal law requires gains in proficiency in math and reading for students in all categories -- special education, black or Hispanic, for example -- in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11. Any school that falls short in a category can face escalating sanctions over a six-year period, from the transfer of students to the possible closing of the school.

Many schools in northern New Jersey do not receive federal funding, though, and are not subject to sanctions under the law. Still, school officials say, the embarrassing label and the scrutiny it brings often prompts changes.

Four Sussex County schools added to the list as "early warnings" this year were Byram Intermediate School; Newton's Halsted Street School; Sparta Middle School; and Vernon's Lounsberry Hollow School. Those were added to 13 county schools that remained on the list from last year.

Warren Regional High School and Green Street School in Phillipsburg were given "early warning" listings, joining nine other schools that remained from last year.

Of the 2,209 New Jersey schools in which state tests were administered this spring, 574 did not make adequate progress for the second consecutive year, state officials said.

Several superintendents from Sussex County said the federal lists unfairly brand an entire school as deficient, when in reality their scores for regular education are way up. A few low tests in special education can skew the results, local school officials said.

"It's all in the area of special education. These (lists) shouldn't broad-brush a whole school," Vernon Schools Superintendent An thony Macerino said. Still, he added, "We certainly have to address the factor of student achievement, whether it's special education or regular education."

Hopatcong Superintendent Wayne Threlkeld said his district's deficiencies also came in the area of special education. "That just knocked us right down," he said. "We'll address it, and we'll do bet ter next year."

While Newton's Halsted Street School was added to the list, the Merriam Avenue School has been taken off, meaning it met all the re quirements.

Halsted's listing was due to low scores from only one or two students in the language arts literacy category, said Newton schools Superintendent Mark Miller.

"We knew we were looking at possible weakness when we saw tests scores in that area," Miller said. He said a summer program and curriculum changes have been instituted to help students.

Byram schools Superintendent Joseph Pezak said the Intermediate school came up short in special education in math.

"No excuses," Pezak said. "Obviously, we have to hone in on the deficiencies exhibited by these students and address them throughout the year."

Schools still struggle under No Child Left Behind

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